


White Carnations

by Bubbybear1111



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Caboose just likes the flowers, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Tucker is smarter than he lets on
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-23 23:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14943170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bubbybear1111/pseuds/Bubbybear1111
Summary: Caboose wanted to get flowers for Church's birthday, but there are none in Blood Gulch. (Un)Luckily for him he starts coughing some up.





	White Carnations

**Author's Note:**

> This idea originated from Discord. I did my best to transcribe my brain-barf madness into a fanfiction.

The first time Caboose coughed up flower petals was right before Church’s birthday, and even though Caboose’s chest heaved after coughing up the white flower petals his eyes sparkled with wonder. He knew without a doubt that they were flower petals. Although he had grown up on Earth’s moon, his mother had kept a greenhouse full of flora. These were definitely flower petals. Caboose smiled happily; he had just been thinking about wanting to get Church flowers for his birthday, and now he could give some to him. 

Caboose’s hopes of giving Church flowers for his birthday soon diminished when the sky blue soldier’s day of birth came and gone and Caboose had not grown enough flowers to give him. He had grown and coughed up two full flowers and a lot of petals, but that hadn’t been enough to give Church. Caboose frowned, looking at the flowers in his hands. They were very pretty, even with the specks of blood on them. Right then he decided to keep them, all of them.

After Caboose’s decision to keep all of the flowers he coughed up did the number begin to pile up. There was now a stack of white flowers in his room, a puddle of blood surrounding them. His chest and throat hurt, but it was worth it. The flowers were beautiful, and they would all be for Church next time his birthday came around. 

Caboose began to feel sick several months after he began coughing up flowers. He felt weak and small, exhaustion overtaking him every few hours. Most days he would stay in his room, sleeping and coughing up the beautiful flora. He began to feel as if he should tell someone, but whoever he told would tell Church, and then the surprise birthday present wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. Caboose was determined to give Church the best surprise gift for his next birthday. All he had to do was be strong until then. 

 

Church was worried for Caboose. A few weeks ago he began to notice how sluggish the blue soldier’s movements were and how exhausted he constantly seemed to be. He didn’t talk much anymore, and Caboose was always talking, especially to Church; now he wasn’t and it was concerning. He also used to follow Church around everywhere, and now all he did was keep to his room, only ever coming out for meals; sometimes he even skipped them. Caboose was acting almost normal and no matter how nice it was not to constantly be followed around or talked to, Church was beginning to be concerned for his friend’s health. 

It was a Monday morning according to the digital calendar in the base’s kitchen. The sun was out and it was hot, just as it usually was, but Caboose was not chattering away at either Church or Tucker. Church tapped his fingers on the kitchen table, waiting for Caboose to come get his food that sat on the table in front of an empty chair. He was late for his breakfast, which never happened. Church looked at the clock one more time before huffing in exasperation and throwing his arms in the air. He was going to check on Caboose.

Church knocked on the door once he came to it, eyes falling on the poster taped onto it. It was a picture of a cat and said “hang in there”. He rolled his eyes, and gave a fond smile. Suddenly, a noise caught his attention; it sounded like someone was choking. Eyes widening, he rapped on the door.

“Caboose!? Caboose are you ok?” There was silence for a moment before he heard an answer, and once he heard it he sighed in relief.

“Church? Is that you?”

“Yeah it’s me, buddy. Can I open the door?” No answer came, and Church frowned. “Caboose?”

“You can open the door.”

Church turned the handle on the door, opening it slowly. His eyes widened as his gaze met piles of white flowers, which caused Caboose’s bed to be an island in a metaphorical ocean.

“Holy fuck, Caboose. Where did all of these flowers come from?” Church’s eyes scanned the room. The entire floor was covered in flowers.

“I grew them,” Caboose replied simply.

Church looked up at him with bewilderment. “You grew them? Where the Hell did you grow them? There is literally no water anywhere near here at all.” 

Caboose pointed to his mouth, a smile crossing his face. Then he began to cough, though it seemed less like coughing and more like hacking. Something must have been stuck in Caboose’s throat.

Church wanted to go over to Caboose and help him cough out whatever the object or substance was, but before he could a flower popped out of Caboose’s mouth and into his hands. Church was absolutely shocked. “Caboose, what the fuck.” 

Caboose looked at the flower fondly, before looking up at Church. “I wanted to give you flowers for your birthday, but we don’t have any, so I grew them,” he reasoned.

“You wanted to give me flowers?” Church was dumbstruck. Why would Caboose want to give him flowers for his birthday? An instant after he asked himself this he remembered that this was Caboose. Caboose didn’t care how weird something was. If he thought it was nice he would go with it. Before he could fully grasp this thought and voice it, Caboose answered rather enthusiastically.

“Of course I wanted to get you flowers, Church! You’re my best friend!” Caboose’s voice was hoarse and scratchy; he placed a hand over his neck, as if holding the hurt area would fix the problem. 

Church sighed, a hand sliding through his hair and down his neck. Before he could say anything, Tucker walked passed, pausing in the doorway.

“Holy fuck, Caboose! That’s a lot of flowers!” Tucker’s mouth was agape as he stared at the room full of white flora.

“I know! They’re pretty aren’t they,” Caboose exclaimed, a grin on his face. He looked over the piles of flowers and seemed almost prideful. 

Tucker then looked towards Caboose, then down at the floor where the pooling blood was visible. His eyes widened. “God, I hope they’re not for me,” he said lowly.

Caboose seemed to have heard Tucker’s comment because he shook his head, then pointed to Church. “Nope! They’re for Church!” 

Tucker looked from Caboose to Church, then back again. “How long have you been coughing them up,” he asked, brows furrowed.

Caboose scratched his head in thought. “A while! I wanted to give Church flowers for his birthday, but we didn’t have any so I grew some. I didn’t have enough for his birthday though. Next year I will give him all of the flowers I’ve grown!” He stretched his arms out wide, gesturing towards the flower covered floor.

Tucker sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Whoa, Caboose, you’ve got it bad…”

Church looked towards Tucker, concern and confusion written all over his face. “What do you mean he’s got it bad?”

“He’s in love with you,” Tucker furrowed his brows at Church and gave him an irate shake of his head, “what did you think the flowers were for?”

Church shrugged, “I dunno. Maybe he’s got some weird alien disease?”

Tucker chuckled, “It sure is weird, but it’s not alien.” He turned to look at Caboose, a sad look in his eyes. “I’m sorry Caboose, but you’ve got the Hanahaki Disease… and you’re going to die.”

Caboose suddenly looked panicked. “What!?” His hands began to shake and he gritted his teeth. He seemed like he was trying not to cry.

“Yeah. I mean Church obviously doesn’t love you, so….” Tucker shrugged nonchalantly.

Church jumped in, brows furrowed in defiance. “Whoa, wait what do you mean I don’t love him?” Before he fully realized what he said it had slipped out, leaving him shocked with himself and internally confused. He noticed a warm feeling that seemed to form in his chest.

Tucker looked at him weirdly and blinked. “You… don’t love him. He loves you. He’s gonna die.”

The warm feeling in Church’s chest grew as he thought of his next words. “What if I do love him?” He gulped and glanced at Caboose before returning his gaze to Tucker.

Tucker squinted at him. “That would be weird, but Caboose wouldn’t die,” he explained. 

Both of their gazes turned toward Caboose, who was staring at them. His hands had stopped shaking, but his breath seemed off. 

“Do you love me, Church?” He asked simply, head cocking to one side.

Church looked at Caboose, into his eyes. They were extremely soulful and seemed like they held the kind of knowledge only ever conceivable by him. They were always so bright and filled with wonder. Church felt the warm feeling in his chest grow more, almost threatening to come up his throat and spill out of his mouth. Finally it did.

He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Yeah… I.. I think I do love you.”

Out of the corner of his eye Church could see Tucker look at him with shock, and mouth the word “wow”.

The moment after Church said what he did, Caboose began to cough again. He didn’t cough long, but it was violent. Before Church could get to him and help him cough it up, the bulb popped out of his mouth and into his palms.

“Ow,” Caboose mumbled hoarsely.

“Gross,” Tucker said in disgust.

Church grimaced at the bulb in Caboose’s hand, but when he reached him he chose to ignore it; he forced himself to look into Caboose’s face as he knelt down and placed a hand on the other’s knee. “You ok, Buddy?”

Caboose nodded and looked from Church to the bulb, a frown coming over his face. “I’m fine, but I don’t think I’ll be able to grow any more pretty flowers now.”

Church squeezed Caboose’s leg in reassurance. “It’s ok. We have all the flowers we need right here.” He nodded his head towards the flower covered floor.

Caboose smiled and nodded, causing Church to smile too.


End file.
